The Bull Run Continues!

Friday 24th August saw the addition of item #670000 to our listing database, marking another 10,000 specimens uploaded. This time the specimen was provided by TVM Auctions, a specimen of Strengite & Phosphosiderite from Bull Moose Mine in South Dakota, USA.

The latest 10,000 items arrived in 64 days averaging 156 minerals per day, achieved during the (Northern Hemisphere) summer when things are generally a bit quieter in the world of minerals.

The steady increase of mineral items to our database is testament to both the sellers and collectors who source things of interest and most importantly the visitors who return daily to browse and bid on/buy them.

It has also been great to hear recently from a number of sellers who have been acquiring material to offer over the next months. As summer turns to autumn we should see some of these "collections" making the sales pages on an ongoing basis.

I believe we start with one such project tonight, courtesy of Chris Mavris, Plinius Minerals, with specimens from the collection of Bruno Cerato. You can see Chris's blog on this via the link below.

By all accounts Bull Moose (Lode) Mine, located in Custer County, South Dakota, USA is an old and closed locality. The geological setting is a pegmatite dyke.

Although small and insignificant as a commercial mine Bull Moose has boasted an impressive array of more than 30 phosphate mineral types, mostly manganese or iron bearing and some beautiful/colourful specimens to boot.

The most common bearer matrix for specimens is barbosalite-pyrite with small cavities, fissures and faces with other minerals.

Specimen TVM670000 shows good and typical phosphorosiderite characterised by a prismatic habit and striations along the c-axis with distorted diamond-shaped terminations with cavities, 3-4mm in length.

The combination of gemmy deep rose pink phosphorosiderite with gemmy mauve purple strengite on a background of blue black barbosalite with earth green tavorite makes a very photogenic study, if you can get the lighting right!

Within the e-Rocks database we have specimens with 12 different Bull Moose minerals, please feel free to check out these out via the link below.

As we usually say, but each time we sincerely mean it; thanks to everyone who uses the site and we look forward to the next 10,000 new minerals and the interest they bring!